Dishwasher having lid locking mechanism



Ndv. 18, 1952 S TZ ET A 2,618,282

DISHWASHER HAVING LID LOCKING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 11, 1949 2 SHEETSSHEET 1 Fig.1

mmvrozas Jacques Slarzii' BY ludwzlgSc/zlobo m r4TTORNE Y5 NOV. 18, 1952 J s n-z r 2,618,282

DISHWASHER HAVING LID LOCKING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 11, 1949 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 (/9 INVENTORS 6.9 Jacques Stanii'gw BY Ludwzlg' Schlobahm 6 ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 18, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DISHWASHER HAVING LID LOCKING MECHANISM New York Application January 11, 1949, Serial No. 70,286

8 Claims.

The invention relates generally to dishwashing machines, and more particularly to novel lid locking mechanism which controls the water circulating means for automatically shutting off the flow of water to the dishwashing chamber when the lid is opened.

Power-operated dishwashing machines include a tub or receptacle in which a basket of dishes is placed for Washing, the tub having a lid which must be closed tightly during the washing operation because the Wash water and rinse water are introduced into the tub under high pressure. It is necessary to provide automatic means for shutting off the water when the lid is opened accidentally or for any reason during the washing operation, because otherwise hot water would be sprayed all over the rooni, thereby tending to cause serious injury to the operator and damage to the room.

Certain prior dishwashing machines have had lid locking means for preventing opening of the lid until the machine has completed the full washing and rinsing cycle, once the cycle was started. The disadvantage of such construction is that often it is desirable to open the lid during the washing cycle, for example, in order to remove a forgotten object from the tub or to add detergent.

Other prior dishwashing machines have had complicated electrical mechanisms energized by opening the lid to automatically shut off the water circulating means without de-energizing other electrical devices functioning to carry out certain operations during the washing cycle. These electrical mechanisms are necessarily both complicated and expensive, and also require an excessive amount of maintenance and repair at frequent intervals.

It is an object of the present invention to provide novel lid locking mechanism which automatically controls the water circulating means in a dishwasher.

More specifically, it is an object to provide a novel lid locking mechanism which is actuated by the closing movement of the lid to energize a water circulating motor, and which deenergizes said motor when the lid opens.

Another object is to provide a novel lid locking mechanism which is actuated by the lid closing movement for simultaneously locking the lid shut and starting the water circulating motor.

A further object is to provide novel mechanism including a latch on the dishwasher tub which may be manually controlled and which engages a catch on the lid as it closes to lock the lid, and

2 means engaged by the catch for closing a circuit to an electrical water circulating motor.

A still further object is to provide a novel lid locking mechanism which can be manually actuated to open the lid at any time during the washing cycle, and which always shuts off the motor when the lid is opened.

Finally, it is an object of the present invention to provide a simple, inexpensive and compact lid locking mechanism which automatically operates the water circulating motor without separate controls, and which requires little or no maintenance or repair.

These and other objects are accomplished by the parts, construction, arrangements and combinations which comprise the present invention, the nature of which is set forth in the following general statement, and a preferred embodiment of which is set forth in the following description and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and which is particularly and distinctly pointed out and set forth in the appended claims forming a part hereof.

In general terms, the novel lid locking mechanism comprising the present invention may be stated as including a manually operable latch mounted on the dishwashing tub and adapted to look into engagement automatically with a catch mounted on the lid when the lid closes, said catch being adapted during the closing movement to engage and move a switch operating lever into position for closing the circuit to the electric motor which drives the circulating pump for spraying water to the tub to wash the dishes contained therein.

Referring to the drawings forming part hereof, in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown by way of example:

Figure 1 is side elevation, partly in section, of a dishwasher embodying the invention, showing the lid in partly open position;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary plan sectional view, as on line 2-2, Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view as on line 3-3, Fig. 2, showing the catch on the lid approaching closed position and the front escutcheon plate removed;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view as on line 4-4 Fig. 2, showing the lid catch in closed position;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view on line 55, Fig. 2, showing the lid catch in closed position; and c Fig. 6 is a wiring diagram of the electrical cir- 3 cuit to the motor driving the water circulating means. 7

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.

As illustrated in Fig. 1, the dishwasher may be mounted and entirely enclosed within a cabinet l having front and rear outer walls 8 and 9 spaced outwardly of the dishwasher including a sheet metal tub or receptacle Hi, the top of which may be closed by a sheet metal lid H hinged at its rear edge 32 to the rear rim flange E3 of the cabinet. The cabinet 1 is preferably a sink cabinet having a splashback Hi and a fiat rim portion l adapted to be substantially flush with the top of lid II when closed. The cabinet i may be of the double sink type, with a standard sink located alongside the tub H) of the dishwasher.

The lid ii is preferably movably attached to the tub it by a bar It pivoted at its top end [1 to the lid and having an elongated slot [8 receiving a stud E9 on the side wall of the tub It, for supporting the lid in fully raised position, in a usual manner. The tub I0 is preferably hung within the cabinet I by means of an outturned rim flange at the top of the tub supported on an inturned flange 2| on the cabinet, there being a rubber gasket interposed between said flanges.

The tub H! has a central drain conduit 22 which connects with a waste pipe 23, and an overflow pipe 24 leads from the side of the tub to the waste pipe. A valve of the flapper type may be pivotally mounted in the drain conduit 22 for closing the same, and the valve may have an exterior pivot shaft 25 for operating the valve either manually or automatically during the washing cycle. An electric motor 25 is hung under the tub It by means of a bracket 27, and the motor drives a suitable water circulating pump having an intake 28 and being connected to a discharge pipe 29. The intake 28 is connected to a tub recirculating outlet 3i) and the discharge pipe 29 is connected to two vertical supply pipes ill for recirculating water to the tub for washing purposes.

Preferably, the dishwashing cycle is automatic, and a, timer mechanism indicated generally at 32 is provided for automatically controlling the cycle of operations. The timer is operatively connected to the motor 25 and drain valve shaft 25 in a suitable manner. Also a pull wire 33 connects the timer 32 to the novel lid locking mechanism indicated generally at St, which looks the lid H in closed position when the water circulating pump is operating. Preferably, the lid is urged upwardly by rollers 35 engaging the rear side of the lid and having spring pivot mountings 38 on the rear Wall of tub H3 for yieldingly urging the rollers upwardly.

The lid locking mechanism comprising the present invention is shown in detail in Figs. 2-5, and is preferably mounted on the front wall of the tub Hi. A latch lever shaft 38 is journaled at its rear end in the front wall of tub l0 and extends forwardly through a rectangular opening 39 in the front cabinet wall 8. The front squared end ll) of said shaft 38 extends through an escutcheon plate 4! which covers the opening 39 in cabinet wall 8, and a handle Q2 is secured on the shaft end "39 for manually rotating said shaft. The shaft 33 preferably passes through a U-shaped supporting bracket 43 the legs of which are secured to the rear side of plate M, as by spot-welding. The shaft 33 preferably has a threaded bushing 64 thereon extending through the bracket 43 and clamped to the bracket by a lock nut 65.

Similarly, a control lever shaft 46 is journaled at its rear end in the front wall ID of the tub and has a threaded bushing 44' thereon which extends through the bracket 53 and is clamped to the bracket by a lock nut 45'. However, the front end of shaft 46 is spaced rearwardly of escutcheon plate 4|.

Suitable sealing washers El and lock washers 6'! are interposed between the outer surface of the tub wall Iii and adjacent shoulders on the shafts 38 and 46, respectively, and the reduced ends of the shafts extend through the wall I0 into a latch box 48 secured on the interior of the wall. Within the box 48, a vertically extending latch lever 49 is secured to the end of shaft 38 and a control lever 59 is secured to the end of shaft 46. As best shown in Fig. 5, the lever d9 preferably has a hub 49' pinned to the shaft 58, and the lever 56 has a hub 50' pinned to the shaft 46.

The latch lever "59 is provided at its upper end with an inclined cam surface 5| which extends laterally over a tooth or detent 52, and the lever d9 registers with a slot 53 in the upper wall of the box 48. An angular catch bar 54 is secured to the under side of the lid H, and by a bracket 55, and the downwardly extending leg of the catch is adapted to enter the box 48 through the slot 53 when the lid closes. The lower end of the catch 5d has one corner beveled off to form a cam surface 55 at the same inclination as the cam surface 5| of the latch 49, and a notch 51 is formed in the catch above the bevel.

As the catch moves downward during closing movement of the lid, from a position such as shown in Fig. 3 to the position in Figs. 4 and 5, the beveled surface 56 slidably engages the cam surface 5! and rotates the latch lever 49 slightly to the left or counter-clockwise so that the tooth 52 can enter the notch 51. A spring 58 is attached at its lower end to an angle bracket 59 welded to bracket 43 for yieldingly urging the latch lever 49 to its upright locking position shown in Figs. 4 and 5. The upper end of spring 58 is secured to one ear 6! of lever 60 having a central hub 62 pinned on shaft 33, so that the spring 53 pulls the tooth 52 of the latch lever into the notch 5'! of the catch after the notch 51 has moved into position as a result of the beveled surface 56 forcing the latch to the left.

The lever 60 is provided with an car 63 laterally opposite to ear 6!, and the ear 63 is connected to the pull wire 33 which is operatively connected at its other end to the timing mechanism 32. Thus, the timing mechanism may be arranged to pull down on the pull wire 33 at the end of the washing cycle to release the latch lever 59 from the catch 5 and the spring actuated rollers 35 will immediately raise the lid to a partially open position such as shown in Fig. 1. The latchlever 59 may be operated manually to release the catch 56 at an time during thewashing cycle by grasping the manual lever 42 and pushing it to the right.

As best shown in Fig. 5, the control lever 59 extends laterally toward shaft 33. a sufficient distance to project under the slot 53, so that the outer end of lever 50 is engaged and depressed by the bottom end of catch 54 as the lid closes. This movement of the control lever 50 rotates the shaft 66 counterclockwise. A switch closing lever 55, havin a hub 66 pinned on the shaft 46, depends below the shaft and has an angular bracket plate 61 Secured to its lower end. The bracket late 61 is adapted to push against the contact button 68 of a micro-switch 69 of conventional construction when the control lever 50 is depressed by the catch 54, as shown in Fig. 4, the micro-switch 69 being rigidly mounted on an angle bracket 70 welded to bracket 43.

When the contact button 68 is pushed, it closes the electrical circuit to the motor 26 which drives the water circulating pump. The electrical circuit is shown in the wiring diagram in Fig. 6, in which conductor H leading from one side of the power supply line is connected to one side of the motor 26 through the micro-switch 69, and the other side of the motor is connected by conductor 12 through a starting switch 13 to the other side of the power line.

A spring 14 is provided for yieldingly urging the bracket 61 to the open position of Fig. 3, so that the instant the lid starts to open and the catch 54 moves upwardly, the spring will move the switch closing lever 65 in a clockwise direction, allowin the switch button 68 to snap out and break the circuit to the motor 26. One end of sprin 14 is secured to the bottom end of switch lever 65, and the other end is secured to a bracket arm 15 which has its upper end welded to the U-shaped bracket 43.

The novel lid locking mechanism automatically controls the operation of the water circulating means supplying water to the dishwashing tub by having the closing movement of the lid actuate the locking latch and simultaneously energize the water circulating motor. Moreover, the lid locking mechanism de-energizes the motor instantly when the lid starts to open, thus preventing any circulation of water into the tub except when the lid is tightly closed.

The lid lockin mechanism is so constructed and arranged that the lid may be manually unlocked at any time durin the washing cycle to permit opening of the lid for any reason.

The lid lockin and control mechanism of the present invention is simple, compact and inexpensive, and requires little or no maintenance or repair because it does not employ any delicate and complicated electrical devices, the only electrical device being a conventional micro-switch.

In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity, clearness and understanding, but no unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirements of the prior art, because such words are used for descriptive purposes herein and are intended to be broadly construed.

Moreover, the embodiment of the improved construction illustrated and described herein is by way of example, and the scope of the present invention is not limited to the exact details of construction.

Having now described the invention, the construction, the operation and use of a preferred embodiment thereof, and the advantageous new and useful results obtained thereby, the new and useful constructions, and reasonable mechanical equivalents thereof obvious to those skilled in the art, are set forth in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. Lid locking mechanism for a dishwasher having a receptacle, a closure lid therefor, motor driven mean-s for circulating water into the receptacle, and an'electric switch electrically connected in circuit with the motor driving the water circulating means, said lid locking mechanism including a catch mounted on said lid for extending into said receptacle when the lid is closed, a latch lever pivoted on'said receptacle and adapted to interlock automatically with said catch in lid closed position, a spring yieldingly urging said latch lever into interlockin position, a switch lever pivoted on said receptacle for closing said switch, a spring yieldingly urging said switch lever to open position, and said switch lever being engaged by said catch for closing said switch automatically as the lid closes.

2. Lid locking mechanism for a dishwasher having a receptacle, a closure lid therefor, motor driven means for circulating water into the receptacle, and an electric switch electrically connected in circuit with the motor driving the wa ter circulating means, said lid locking mechanism including a catch mounted on said lid for extending into said receptacle when the lid is closed, a latch lever pivoted on said receptacle and adapted to interlock automatically with said catch in lid closed position, a spring yieldingly urging said latch lever into interlocking position, a handle on said latch lever for manually moving said lever out of interlocking position, a switch lever pivoted on said receptacle for closing said switch, a. spring yieldingly urging said switch lever into open position, and said switch lever being engaged by said catch for closing said switch automatically as the lid closes.

3. Lid locking mechanism for a dishwasher having a receptacle, a closure lid therefor, motor driven means for circulating water into the receptacle, and an electric switch electrically con nected in circuit with the motor driving the water circulating means, said lid locking mechanism including a catch mounted on said lid for extending into said receptacle when the lid is closed, a latch lever pivoted on said receptacle and adapted to interlock automatically with said catch in lid closed position, a switch lever pivoted on said receptacle for closing said switch, and said switch closing lever being engaged by said catch for closing said switch automatically as the lid closes.

4. Lid locking mechanism for a dishwasher having a, receptacle, a closure lid therefor, motor driven means for circulating water into the receptacle, and an electric switch electrically connected in circuit with the motor driving the water circulating means, said lid locking mechanism including a catch mounted on said lid for extending into said receptacle when the lid is closed, a latch lever pivoted on said receptacle and adapted to interlock automatically with said catch in lid closed position, a handle on said latch for manually rotating the latch about its pivot, a switch lever pivoted on said receptacle for closing said switch, and said switch closing lever being engaged by said catch for closing said switch automatically as the lid closes.

5. Lid locking mechanism for a dishwasher having a receptacle, a closure lid therefor, motor driven means for circulating water into the receptacle, and an electric switch electrically connected in circuit with the motor driving the water circulating means, said lid locking mechanism including a catch mounted on said lid for extending into said receptacle when the lid is closed, a latch lever pivoted on said receptacle and adapted to interlock automatically with said catch in lid closed position, a spring yieldingly urging said latch lever into interlocking position, means for manually rotating said latch lever about its pivot out of interlocking position, a switch lever pivoted on said receptacle for closing said switch,

7 a spring yieldingly urging said switch lever to open position, and said switch lever being engaged by said catch for closing said switch as the lid closes and interlocks said catch with said latch lever.

6. Lid locking mechanism for a dishwasher having a receptacle, a closure lid therefor, motor driven means for circulating water into the receptacle, and an electric switch electrically connected in circuit with the motor driving the water circulating means, said lid locking mechanism including a catch mounted on said lid for extending into said receptacle when the lid is closed, a latch lever pivoted on said receptacle and adapted to interlock automatically with said catch in lid closed position, means external of the receptacle for manually rotating said latch lever about its pivot out of interlocking position, a switch lever pivoted on said receptacle for closing said switch, and said switch closing lever being engaged by said catch for closing said switch as the lid closes and interlocks said catch with said latch lever.

7. In a dishwasher having a tub and an outer cabinet wall spaced therefrom, a closur lid for the tub, means for circulating water to said tub, and an electric switch for controlling the operation of said water circulating means, lid locking mechanism including a latch lever pivoted on said tub, a switch closing lever pivoted on said tub, a catch on said lid adapted as the lid closes to interlock with said latch lever and simultaneously actuate said switch closing lever, and means extending through said outer wall operable to rotate the latch lever about its pivot to release the interlock between said catch and latch lever and allow the lid to open.

8. In a dishwasher having a tub and an outer cabinet wall spaced therefrom, a closure lid for the tub, means for circulating water to said tub, and an electric switch for controlling th operation of said water circulating means, lid locking mechanism including a latch lever pivoted on said tub, a switch closing lever pivoted on said tub, a spring yieldingly urging said switch closing lever away from closing position, a catch on said lid adapted as the lid closes to interlock with said latch lever and simultaneously actuate said switch closing lever, and means extending through said outer wall operable to rotate the latch lever about its pivot to release the interlock between said catch and latch lever and allow the lid to open.

JACQUES STANITZ. LUDWIG SCI-HJOBOHM.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 990,343 Crouch et al. Apr. 25, 1911 1,192,217 McColl July 25, 1916 1,412,354 Kirtley Apr. 11, 1922 1,717,229 Kraeft June 11, 1929 2,157,112 Bonner May 9, 1939 2,314,332 Ferris Mar. 23, 1943 2,418,366 Powers Apr. 1, 1947 2,428,063 Bleyle Sept. 30, 1947 2,468,534 Wotring Apr. 26, 1949 

